How to lay anti-mole mesh under a lawn: depth, installation and tips

Molehills can ruin even a perfect lawn within a few weeks. Repellers and traps give unpredictable results, whereas anti-mole mesh is a physical barrier that simply stops the animal from reaching the surface. The key is to lay it properly. Here is how to do it.

How anti-mole mesh works

Moles dig tunnels underground and push the soil up to the surface, which is how molehills appear on a lawn. Fine mesh is laid under a layer of topsoil: the mole runs into it and cannot dig its way up. The mesh does not harm the animal, but it makes the area inconvenient for it, and the mole usually moves off to look for somewhere else.

Grass roots grow through the mesh openings without any trouble, so the mesh does not affect the lawn.

Mesh vs other ways of dealing with moles

What else garden owners try and how these methods differ:

• Ultrasonic and vibrating repellers. They work over a limited area and not always: moles can get used to the sound or simply go around the zone they cover.
• Traps. They need constant checking, and sooner or later a new mole takes the place of the one caught.
• Repellent plants and smells. The effect is short-lived and depends on the weather.

Mesh needs no batteries and no maintenance: once laid under the lawn, it works all the time. Its only drawback is that it can only be laid when the lawn is being made. So if you are just planning a lawn, this is the best moment to think about protection.

Which anti-mole mesh to choose

What to look for:

• Mesh size. The smaller the openings, the more reliable the barrier. Gartec anti-mole mesh has an 8×9 mm mesh.
• Material. Polyethylene mesh does not rust in damp soil, unlike metal mesh, and is easy to cut with scissors.
• Roll width and length. A wide roll means fewer joints, and every joint is a potential way in. A Gartec roll is 1.5 × 30 m, i.e. 45 m².

Anti-mole mesh is black, so even if it shows through somewhere, it is invisible against the soil.

How much mesh you need

Work out the area of the lawn and add an allowance for overlaps, usually 10–15%. A 200 m² lawn needs about 220–230 m² of mesh, i.e. five to six 45 m² rolls. If you plan to turn the mesh down vertically around the edges (more on this below), add a strip as long as the perimeter.

What you will need for installation

• rolls of anti-mole mesh with an allowance for overlaps;
• a rake, a spade, a hand roller or a wide board to firm the soil;
• large scissors or a knife to trim the mesh to shape;
• U-shaped garden pins, cable ties or wire for the joints;
• topsoil to cover it with a 5 cm layer;
• turf or lawn seed.

It is easier with two people: one unrolls the mesh while the other fixes the edge straight away so it does not roll back up.

When to lay anti-mole mesh

The mesh is laid while the lawn is being prepared, just before laying turf or sowing grass seed. You cannot slip mesh under an existing lawn: you would have to lift the turf, lay the mesh and put the turf back or reseed. So the best time is when you are making a lawn from scratch or completely renovating it.

How to lay anti-mole mesh, step by step

1. Prepare the base. Remove weeds, roots, stones and building debris. Level the soil with a rake, firm it and water it: the surface should be even, with no hollows or bumps.
2. Unroll the mesh. Lay it out in strips along the length of the area. Do not pull it drum-tight, but do not leave big folds either: the mesh should lie flat on the soil.
3. Overlap the strips. Lay each new strip over the previous one, usually by 10–15 cm. The seams are the weakest point, and a mole will find any gap without fail.
4. Fix the joints. Pin the mesh to the ground with U-shaped pins, or fasten the strips together with cable ties or wire. This keeps the mesh from shifting while you cover it with soil.
5. Protect the edges. Moles can get onto the lawn from the side, under the edge of the mesh. To prevent this, the edge of the mesh is bent and turned down vertically into the soil all the way round, or combined with edging along the lawn border.
6. Cover with soil. Spread a 5 cm layer of soil over the mesh and firm it lightly. Walk on the covered layer, not on the bare mesh, so it does not shift.
7. Lay the lawn. Lay the turf or sow grass seed in the usual way and water well.

The lawn edge: edging and mesh together

A neat lawn edge is about both looks and protection. The low Universal edging is set flush with the lawn, held in place by stakes and does not get in the way of the lawn mower. It is convenient to install it around the edge at the same time as the mesh. Ready-made solutions for the edge are on the lawn and path edging page.

Anti-mole mesh under flower beds and vegetable beds

The mesh is not just for lawns. It is laid at the bottom of raised vegetable beds and flower beds before they are filled with soil, so that moles cannot reach the roots of vegetables and flowers. The principle is the same: a continuous sheet, overlapped joints and the edge turned up the side of the bed. In gardens where moles are a constant problem, protecting only the lawn often drives them into the vegetable beds, so it makes sense to cover both areas at once.

Common mistakes

• Mesh with no overlap or too little overlap. The mole gets through the gap between the strips, and a line of molehills appears along the seam.
• Unprotected edges. The mesh lies only under the lawn, and the mole comes in from the side.
• An uneven base. On bumps, the mesh ends up close to the surface and can get caught by a scarifier or rake; in hollows, it forms pockets.
• Too thick a layer of soil. If the mesh is buried deep, there is space between it and the lawn where a mole can dig a tunnel and throw up molehills. Stick to the recommended layer.
• Mesh with large openings. Garden fence mesh and decorative mesh are not designed to keep out moles: their openings are too large.

What to know before reading reviews

Reviews of anti-mole mesh can be completely contradictory, and the reason is usually not the mesh itself but the way it was laid. When molehills appear on a "protected" lawn, the culprit is almost always unsecured seams, unprotected edges or areas where no mesh was laid at all: under paths, flower beds or next to the fence. If the mesh is continuous, the joints are overlapped and fixed, and the lawn edge is sealed, moles simply have nowhere to come up.

Prices and ordering

The price is per roll in the plastic mesh catalogue; from 10 rolls it drops automatically. Landscaping companies that lay lawns regularly can use the trade customer account with personal prices.